Bullet For My Valentine recently released their highly anticipated sixth studio album ‘Gravity’ on June 29, 2018. As a band, they have been super busy, hopping on the festival circuit and are currently touring overseas through the end of August but will be back in the states in September. It’s enjoyable hearing all their different influences come together in such a cohesive fashion complimenting each of their styles. You can see their growth as a group in their new music with subtle differences from their past albums. Glad to see them being able to make such a strong presence in a new exciting direction.

Two of the original members, Matthew Tuck and Michael ‘Padge’ Paget, have been working together from the beginning. This is one of the aspects which brings such a good chemistry to the table on this project. They are a Welsh Heavy Metal band from Bridgen, Wales in the United Kingdom. Their debut album was released in the UK on October 3, 2005 and with its US release pushed back to Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2006) to coincide with their name. They have been steady since their first release and have put out a new album at the rate of every 2 to 3 years so far with no long dry spells leaving the fans hanging.

If this album had a theme it would be “I bounce back incredibly well, it just really sucks having to start over”. Be it relationship, sobriety or whatever challenge you are facing.

Right out of the starting block—- it’s pedal to the metal with ‘Leap of Faith’, engine revving waiting for the checkered flag to drop. With its high energy literally taking you to the edge setting a heavy tone for the rest of your experience as you roll into the second track, ‘Over It’, catapulting you to another realm as you surf through a quite pleasant trip with a slight flicker showing a darker side or at least referencing toit. As it seems to take you down that skid row to rock bottom leaving you to wonder if its art mimicking life or the other way around. Following up with a manic third track ‘Letting You Go’ with a few ups and downs setting you up to go into ‘Not Dead Yet’. As you feel the roots start sinking in and settling down like you are hunkering down for the fight. ‘The Very Last Time’ with an unusual DNR reference slows down very somber laying the foundation to yank you right back to getting smacked in the face in ‘Pieces of Me’ by their hard-hitting message as well as drums hammering into the mantle of the planet. As we continue through this adventure with ‘Under Again’ it takes you drifting into another cosmic dreamy sequence with the title track ‘Gravity’ pulling all the pieces together rolling over to a soul filled ‘Coma’.As you flash back to their earlier days, they come at you with hard hitting, straight off the rails, edgier sound not leaving their fans disappointed with ‘Don’t Need You’. Bringing it all together the last track encompasses the entire journey of the album and ends on a solid note weaving together all the deep thoughts and emotions with ‘Breathe Underwater’.

With several tracks already getting airplay prior to the release date it created greater anticipation for the album. We recently had a chance to partake in this live extravaganza. It was a show filled with great energy and appeared to be enjoyed by all in attendance. Check them out if you get the chance, it wouldn’t be a waste of your time.

CRUSADE 1212 is an excellent album no doubt about it, and DORIAN OPERA have shown with this release that they are serious about making it in the progressive metal game. I don’t think they’re quite up with the kings of the genre just yet, but they are surely a lot closer than most…

It’s not often a band comes along and releases a flawless debut album, but Skam have proven with the incredible Peacemaker that if you put enough hard work, time and insane musicianship into your songs you can release a masterpiece that puts your band a cut above the rest! Roll on album number 2!